WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth says one of the biggest impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on policing in the city is the ability to process those in custody.
On Monday, during a Winnipeg Police Board meeting at City Hall, Smyth said restrictions made at the beginning of the pandemic aren't working now. Instead, he says it's led people in custody to be treated without the respect and dignity they deserve.
Smyth told the city's police board that people are being held in temporary holding cells for an unacceptable amount of time while waiting to be seen in virtual court.
He said this is because of a policy put in place on April 1 over concerns about COVID-19 within the corrections system.
The province told CTV News at the time, it suspended the process known as direct lock-up, which was the admission of arrestees to provincial custody without a judicial order such as a remand warrant. It said other non-criminal detention measures were also suspended.
"That made sense at the front of this when we were dealing with uncertainty. It doesn't make sense today, and it's been alarming to me for a while now," Smyth said.
Smyth said the cells don't have furniture, bathrooms, or foodservice and have lights on 24/7. He said the cells are meant to be used only for a few hours while administrative work is done.
Smyth reported that the shortest stay in one of the cells is about three hours, but the longest stay has been 43 hours.
He said since April 1, more than 100 prisoners have been detained in cells like this for more than a day.
Smyth said he wrote the justice department a letter on the issue May 1 and hasn't had a meaningful response.
"It would be helpful if they would actually return our phone calls to start," Smyth said, following the meeting on Monday. "And then from there, maybe talking about how we might be able to remand their prisoners that we know are going to be remanded - the violent criminals and the intoxicated people (who are on criminal charge)."
In a written statement to CTV News, Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen said the pandemic forced the justice system to move quickly and make changes to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in provincial correctional facilities.
"We take the concerns (the Winnipeg Police Service) raise seriously, but remain confident these changes were necessary and appropriate," Cullen said. "We will continue to work to ensure that no one remains in police custody longer than necessary and that either a judicial decision to grant bail or remand to provincial custody can be obtained in a timely way."
Cullen did say in most jurisdictions, judicial orders are required before a person is placed in provincial custody. He said the arresting police service is responsible for the person's detention in the meantime.
"That is how the process works in virtually every other jurisdiction across the country and for other police agencies in Manitoba," Cullen said.
